Graeme Hawkins

Veteran trainer Vaughan Marshall reeled in a record-equalling sixth career Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas victory at a festive Kenilworth racetrack on Saturday when One Stripe stormed home under the stand side rail to beat Eight On Eighteen by more than a length. One Stripe delivered heavily invested owner Rikesh Sewgoolam his maiden Grade 1 success and for jockey Gavin Lerena his first Guineas trophy, but for Champion breeders, Drakenstein Stud, it was “business-as-usual” as the first three past the post were all bred and raised at their magnificent Franschhoek-based operation.

While comfortable in the end, One Stripes’ fans had to endure a few anxious moments. Stable companion All Out For Six set a brisk gallop followed by O’Tenikwa, Heather’s Boy and Great Plains with One Stripe in a good position heading into the turn. Midway round the bend One Stripe appeared to lose a few positions, but supercool Lerena never panicked and allowed the son of One World to find his feet once heads were turned for home.

At the 400m pole the front-runners began to feel the pinch. One Stripe was poised to strike and Eight On Eighteen was beginning to make serious inroads from near the back of the field. With Richard Fourie in full cry on Snaith’s Eight On Eighteen towards the inside, and One Stripe gathering momentum while shifting ground to the outside, it was initially not easy to gauge who held the upper hand, but approaching the final 150m it was clear that One Stripe was not going to be denied, and he drew clear to score emphatically.

One Stripe was initially purchased by Grant Knowles for a “mere” R100 000 at BSA’s August 2yo Sale last year and was sent to Julia Pilbeam’s Soetendal Estate to be prepared for Cape Racing Sales’ 2023 November Ready-to-Run Sale. Knowles loves to speculate in the Sales’ market and has done so with great success over many years. But not even he could have expected a R100 000 purchase in August to realise R1,4-million just a few months later. One Stripe put up a spectacular gallop – later described by Marshall as the most impressive he had ever seen at similar sales – and the active buyers’ bench responded accordingly, with Marshall having the final say. And the rest, as they say, is history!

I asked Knowles what it was about One Stripe that grabbed his attention at the August Sale. “He was very correct, walked really well, appeared very athletic with a commanding presence.” Nothing’s changed as all those attributes were on full display in the parade ring on Saturday. One Stripe has now won five of his seven starts and has banked nearly R2,4-million in prize money but, given the history of the Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas being a stallion-producing race, Rikesh Sewgoolam has so much more to look forward to.

If all goes according to plan between now and then, the Nick Jonsson-owned Eight On Eighteen will be a tough nut to crack in the Splashout Cape Derby (Gr1) over 2000m in February. The 3yo son of Lancaster Bomber is clearly very progressive and the Derby trip should not be an issue for Eight On Eighteen. His next engagement could be the 1800m Politician Stakes (Gr3) in January, the traditional Derby trial here in the Western Cape.

Great Plains stayed on well from a handy position to finish a creditable third, with rank outsider O’Tenikwa a remote fourth. Mike de Kock’s Heather’s Boy, unbeaten from three starts coming into Saturday’s Guineas, was found wanting over the final 400m but did enough to grab a minor share of the R2-million purse.

The R350 000 Ridgemont Peninsula Handicap (Gr3) over 1800m produced a shock result as the enigmatic and completely unpredictable The Futurist (66/1) led just about from pillar to post under Anthony Andrews. The chasing pack were closing in fast over the final 100m, but the winning post came just in time for The Futurist who held on gamely to beat Otto Luyken and the winner’s well backed stable companion, Infrared, in a blanket finish.

The R225 000 Splashout Victress Stakes (Gr3) over 1800m turned into something of a farce. On a day when most races were run inside of standard time, the Victress was “run” at a pedestrian pace, some three seconds (15 lengths) outside of the average and nearly five seconds (25 lengths) slower than the Peninsula Handicap. Rainbow Lorikeet took full advantage and scored for Aldo Domeyer and Candice Bass-Robinson by the best part of a length over Knockout and Time For Love. The favourite Saartjie cast a shoe during the race and was never a factor, finishing last of the five runners.

Domeyer and Bass-Robinson were also successful with From A Distance in the third race, a Maiden Plate (F&M) over 1200m, and Kaiboy in the sixth race, a Class 3 Handicap over 1200m. Kaiboy was most impressive and the 3yo son of One World looks to be a smart sprinter in the making. From A Distance won readily at the expense Englefield Green and in his post-race interview, Domeyer suggested the daughter of Querari could be even better over slightly further.

Parental Guidance, a half-brother to last season’s Grade 1-winning Proceed, scored an impressive debut victory under Richard Fourie for the Paul Reeves stable in the R250 000 Commonwealth Plate for juveniles over 1000m, which got proceedings at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth under way. The 2yo son of Querari was largely ignored in the market but he stormed home in quick time and is one for the notebook.

The second race, the R200 000 Coronation Plate for 2yo fillies, was won by the Snaith-trained Wild Wild Green who came from a little way off the pace to get the better of Whatastar by a length. Wild Wild Green is a half-sister to Sheela who was trained to Graded-stakes success by the Azzie team on the Highveld.

ONE IRISH ROVER, with Damyan Pillay up, wins the Open A TabGold Account – 031 314 1874 MR 68 Handicap for trainer M J Odendaal at Hollywoodbets Scottsville yesterday.

Picture: Gold Circle/Candiese Lenferna

Please Note: From December, Unit cost of all Soccer10 Pools closing on Wednesdays will be R3.

The R3 unit cost on Wednesdays is on a trial basis only & follows requests from many customers to increase the Soccer10 Unit.

The unit cost of Soccer10 Pools on all other days remains R2.

All systems go on 1 January 2025

Horseracing in KwaZulu-Natal took the next step to the dawn of a new era with the publication on Thursday of a revitalized racing programme and the news of the introduction of incentives and stakes adjustments that will align the province with the status quo in the Cape.

The introduction of the new-look programme and policies on the East Coast comes into play as a result of the proposed acquisition of Gold Circle by the Hollywood Sportsbook Holdings group, which now hinges on the required approval of the KZN Economic Regulatory Authority (KZNERA).

Whilst the outstanding approval of the KZNERA is critical to the transaction, and will be the final step in transferring ownership, Hollywoodbets and its appointed Chairman Designate of Gold Circle, Greg Bortz are in management and strategic decisions during the interim period, with Hollywoodbets investing funds at its own risk to ensure the continuity of horse racing in KZN, and the survival of Gold Circle.

Programme and related reading matter, click here.

Subject to the fulfillment of other outstanding conditions precedent, the deal effectively unlocks a R500 million rescue injection from Hollywoodbets, and a takeover of the sport in the holiday province, which is set to include track upgrades and other infrastructural and operational initiatives.

The new KZN programme covers the period 1 January to 28 February 2025 and introduces the stakes-boosted class racing structure to the province, while unveiling financial incentives via the RaceCoast incentive scheme with the ultimate aim of improving racehorse ownership in KZN and achieving enhanced field sizes with the knock-on vital lifeblood of increased betting turnovers.

Down South, the RaceCape incentive programme has proven a winner and has underscored the unprecedented turnaround in Cape horseracing by providing further opportunities for the local racing community and increased employment prospects for grooms and work riders, as well as raising the bar for all related and ancillary horse racing services.

“We are very excited about future plans for KZN racing,” Cape Racing Executive: Racing & Bloodstock Justin Vermaak told the Sporting Post on Thursday, as he outlined broad plans to revolutionise the appeal of the sport across the board for all stakeholders in KZN.

“We need to provide owners and trainers with an even and attractive playing field that makes them want to race. Stakes and rewards need to be meaningful. That ultimately leads to better field sizes, more exciting racing and improved betting turnovers. Punters are key to the success of the process. We are implementing a first world reform in terms of transparency when it comes to information. Items like horse weights, for example, will be published. They are, after all, a form assessment tool. Horses working at our training centres and tracks will all have easily identifiable bar-coded saddle-cloths. So, there are no secrets. If Oriental Charm or One Stripe is on track, the public will share in it,” added Vermaak, who confirmed that barrier draws after acceptance was another operational change which would be implemented on 1 January 2025.

Veteran KZN trainer Garth Puller, who attended a recent stakeholder’s meeting at Summerveld hosted by Greg Bortz, Justin Vermaak, Gold Circle and Hollywoodbets officials, enthused that he was thrilled by the news of the takeover by business-minded racing people who were brave and bold enough to step in and turn the ship around.

“This has come very late for me at my age, but it’s a lifechanger and the future is brighter than it was yesterday,” reflected a delighted Puller as he told the Sporting Post that the adjusted stakes and ‘very welcome’ incentives would boost cash-flows,  while also making it so much easier to help him and his colleagues market the basic ownership product.

“And we are getting draws after acceptances. Wonderful! I was calling for that 25 years ago at Hollywoodbets Durbanville. Bigger fields mean a faster pace, means better form, means better truer results. It’s an ecosystem of positivity. It all feeds on itself,” added the horseman who is never scared to pass an opinion.

Puller said the repair of the Polytrack at Hollywoodbets Greyville was ‘definitely quite overdue and welcome news’.

“That’s our stage. The track must be safe for horse and rider, be true and competitive, and have credibility with all role-players. That’s not a negotiable.”

On the ‘abolition’ of the committee structure to facilitate decision making and policy, Puller said that he was so pleased to hear that all reasonable suggestions will be considered by management.

“Wonderful! So there are no more long-winded committees to hide behind and to dither over. How refreshing.  I believe every stakeholder in this sport in KZN needs to doff a cap to Hollywoodbets and Mr Bortz. This investment and takeover is a brave move. But we know that with the passion for horse racing of the local population in this province, we can make it work. And by putting the structures in place they are making sure we have no excuses. Let’s look forward and get on with rebuilding KZN racing. I am absolutely thrilled. This is good news,” he concluded.

Johannesburg, 15 October 2024 – 4Racing in conjunction with the Handicappers have published the first log for the 2024 R6 million Gr1 Betway Summer Cup to be run at Turffontein on Saturday 30 November.

Second entries close at 11am on Tuesday 05 November, and final entries at 9am on Monday, 18 November 2024, after which weights will be announced. Declarations must be in by 11am on Wednesday, 20 November 2024 and barrier draws will be conducted at a Betway event on 20 November 2024. The final log will be published on Tuesday 05 November 2024.